A sixty eighth minute strike from Junior Dos Santos was enough to see Prestwich Heys through to the second round of the FA Vase at the West Street Stadium home of North East Counties side Winterton Rangers on Saturday.
Heys came into this one after a shock 1-0 defeat to Stockport Georgians in the Macron Cup the previous week and were looking to make amends here with a strong starting line up despite suspensions to winger Connor Berry and Captain Aaron Chalmers.
Heys started quickly with Callum Nicholas bringing an early save from Winterton keeper Nathan Popple and Dylan Fitzgerald had a free kick saved from twenty yards all before the tenth minute.
Prestwich continued to press a high line for which the hosts struggled to respond and had another chance on eighteen minutes when Matt Davies broke down the right and knocked a great cross in that just out stretched Dos Santos to safety.
Winterton were trying to get back into it as the half progressed, but couldn't test Heys keeper Russ Saunders firing over the bar in the thirty-eight minute from twenty yards then Heys went down the other end with another shot from Dos Santos saved after a great one two between him and Nicholas.
Rudy Misambo was next to try his luck on goal for the visitors charging through the middle but firing over the bar followed by an excellent attempt at a bicycle kick from Fitzgerald but the flag went up for offside.
So, despite all the chances and pressure from Prestwich it was goalless at the break and the visitors looked lively again in the second half with Fitzgerald on the left dancing round the Winterton full back putting in a cross that just eluded everyone and went out to safety, but five minutes later the pressure told and it was Fitzgerald again finding Nicholas who drove a shot in from eighteen yards which keeper Popple couldn't handle and the ball went through him into the net.
From here Heys never looked back Davies was working hard to create openings but it was centre half Misambo who made the next telling pass through to Dos Santos in the sixty eighth minute and seeing keeper Popple off his line shot over the top from twelve yards to put the Prestwich 2-0 up to the delight of the visiting crowd.
Worse was to follow for the home side on eighty-one minutes when a challenge from Paul Grimes on Heys Kai Haigh was deemed a straight red by the referee despite no real appeals from the Prestwich players.
As we entered the closing minutes Haigh had a free kick from twenty yards blocked and Winterton pulled one back in the ninety third minute when a corner on the left from Dan Walker found the head of Wilf Peel Evans at the far post who steered it past Heys keeper Saunders for 2-1.
In the dying embers the hosts had one last chance on the left dragging a shot just wide right of the post to safety and the referee blew the final whistle on what was a good day for Prestwich who pressed throughout,all the hard work paid off and they went into the hat for the next round of the FA Vase where they will host Whitley Bay on Saturday 12th November.